Culver City High School has had some really good athletic teams, players, coaches and athletic directors but the 2026 boys’ volleyball team is a story that can only be written in fairytale books.
This remarkable story started when the Culver City’s High school gym was flooded in November. With nowhere to practice for the upcoming season the team had to practice inside the smaller Culver City Middle School gym. Mother nature took away home court advantage just like it did with the Culver City boys and girls basketball teams.
FFast forward to May 5, 2026, and the Centaurs boys’ volleyball team is 20-7 overall and they finished 6-1 (second place) in the Ocean League playing only one game inside their high school gym. That one game was played last week against Ramona. They won that contest 3-0 in front of a crowd that was starving for a home game.
They played their second CIF Division 6 playoff game last week against El Modena on the road and they won that game 3-2. Last Wednesday, May 6, they played their third playoff game against Dominguez which was a quarterfinal game. Press time was Tuesday. This team played 26 games away from Culver City High School and they are 20-7. That is truly incredible. If they win that game on Wednesday, they will be two wins away from being CIF Division 6 volleyball champions.
Coached by 15-year Culver City veteran coach Joe Manzo, the Centaurs have only three seniors on the team, Naoki Ono-Lemire, Casey Brennan and Clark Erekson so the future looks bright especially when they get back into the own gym next year.
“I think being in our gym was wonderful especially for our three seniors on the team,” said Manzo after their win over Ramona. “It’s a great memory for them. All three are leaders in their own way. Clark is one of the captains, Casey is a leader on the court and Naoki will do anything I ask him to do for the team. Those seniors are amazing.”
The three seniors bring a different element to the team which helps keep the younger players grounded. “We have a lot of underclassmen on the team, and I find it really easy to make friends on this team,” said Ono-Lemire after the Ramona game last week.
Clark talked about playing in a CIF playoff game. “It’s a little bit more intense and there is a lot of energy in the stands. With this team I think we can go all the way.”
Brennan brings a lot of energy when he is on the court. “It was my first game at home, and it felt great. We were all locked in and ready to beat that team. My whole team played great and it was as team effort. I love this team.”
Call Culver City High School to find out if the Centaurs advanced to the CIF semi-final game that will be played on Saturday, May 9.